Dear friends, poets, writers, artists and art creators in all its forms,

We are reunited here once more and even in bigger numbers than before to participate in the III Writers’ and Artists’ International Festival at Val-David. A big thank you to all who are here today for the opening of this magic and special event. A special thank you to our guests of honor, Mme Nicole Davidson, Maire of Val-David, and Mme Pauline Vincent, Presidente of the Association of Laurentian Authors. We wish that each of the participants will experience great accomplishments during these two days of the Festival, and that each of us will keep an unforgettable memory of these events until our next meeting that will take place at the IV Festival in October 2011.
We are aware that many of us have made great sacrifices in order to be able to attend and be with us today. Many of you travelled a lot, even across the ocean to be part of this Festival. We wish you to know that your efforts and creativity will impregnate the village of Val-David and our hearts for years to come. W are absolutely certain that by uniting our forces and energies in order to express the beauty of our collective creativity, we are putting the village of Val-David on the map of the world, the golden map that belongs to dreamers, poets, writers and artists. We have to remember, and at the same time remind the whole world that above every social-political organizations, and more important than all the legislation imposed by one or other regime and social contract, there was, there is, and always will be a legislation made by the artists and the poets of the world. This legislation is the most potent form of government on Earth and we are proud to be a part of it.
We welcome you all warmly and we wish you a great Festival!!!

Closing Words by Nicole Davidson The mayor of Val-David

Thank you for giving this present of poetry to our village. It’s something precious to us and generous in the same time. Precious because is a richness to bring the world on poetry roads towards a creation village. It is generous of you to share this richness with all the participants and visitors at the Festival. A festival that’s unique in Quebec.
Thank you, Flavia. Thank you to all the poets I’ve encountered here. Thanks for the human warmth. Thank you for the shared enchantment.
Best wishes for continuing successes

Here are a few comments of the participants:

Congratulations, Flavia, for the wonderful festival where poetry was the queen of the house. You are truly blessed with a kind and warm heart and a talent for bringing people of different cultures together to celebrate beauty and poetry, along with friendship and solidarity.
I was honored to be the coordinator of such an amazing festival. I am looking forward to coming back among these wonderful people and share the poetry of life with them.
Luminita Suse, poetess, Ottawa

The poetry and the exile
Being exiled is a spiritual experience, where feelings take on unpredictable forms and manifestations.
Although the chance to live in a free world can manifest itself in a feeling of pride, of „having made it”, the preoccupations and pursuits of the writer in exile can be influenced by the predicament of being uprooted, of being without a country.
The creative seed of the work produced in exile is from the native land. It bears fruit on foreign soil, and takes all that it needs for its embodiment from this soil. In the end, the place of origin is reflected in the work, even if not directly.
Writers in exile have been and will remain the heralds of a people tormented by history. Their toil is fruitful in spirit and faith, and it will remain a guide for posterity.Alexandru Tomescu, writer and editor, Toronto

Dear Flavia,
Thank you for hosting all of us and for all your hard work for the festival. I met so many interesting, generous people and it was a pleasure to share my work with them. I wish you much poetry and success with your poetic project for this charming and welcoming community.
Blessings,Giovanna Riccio, poetess, Toronto